SETTING SWEET PO TA TOES iM 



time previous to give it time to settle, and disked and har- 

 rowed sufficiently to put it in good tilth. As good drainage 

 is essential to success, ridge culture is practiced if the land 

 is not naturally well drained. Planting on flat or unridged 

 land is less expensive and just as satisfactory unless drainage 

 is needed. The ridges, which should be 33/2 or 4 feet apart, 

 may be made by throwing furrows together with a plow. 

 This preparation should be made long enough before planting 

 to allow the land to become firm again. Just before the 

 plants are set, a fight harrowing will put the land in good 

 condition. It should then be gone over with a marker which 

 indicates the rows (if the land is not ridged), and the distances 

 at which the plants should be set in the row. For level 

 culture, the plants are usually set about 2 feet apart each 

 way, though they may be 2}/^ by 2 feet or even 2}^ by 23^ 

 feet. Plants are usually set about 16 or 18 inches apart when 

 planted in ridges. It is not necessarj^ to mark the rows if a 

 transplanting machine is used. 



578. Setting the Plants. The plants should not be set 

 in the field till all danger of frost is past. The setting may 

 be done by hand or with a transplanting machine. If the 

 plants are to be set by hand, the work can be hastened by 

 opening a shallow furrow down the line of the ridge or along 

 the mark. The principal things to observe in setting are to 

 have the roots and the soil moist and to press the earth 

 firmly about the plants. Planting as soon as the ground can 

 be worked after a rain or putting about a half pint of water 

 in each hole will help materially in getting a good stand. 

 Only strong, well-rooted plants should be set. 



579. Cultivation. The cultivation of sweet potatoes is 

 not different from that given to most other cultivated crops. 

 The surface of the soil should be stirred often enough to 

 prevent the growth of weeds and to hold the soil moisture. 

 One or two hoeings may be necessary to remove the weeds 

 from the rows. Shallow cultivation should be given after 



